Lisa and Alan

Lisa and Alan’s Whole Home Remodeling Story

After 30 years in their single-story, three-bedroom, two-bath house, homeowners Lisa and Alan decided a big change was in order for their much-loved home in which they raised two children, as well as numerous pets.

AFTER

Originally built in 1985, the couple increased the house size after adding an additional guest room, bathroom and storage area in early 2000. They also remodeled the home’s two original bathrooms in 2011 (each previous remodel was completed using another remodeling contractor).

Lisa and Alan really wanted to replace their antiquated kitchen cabinetry and appliances, open up their living space and modernize the home’s color scheme to something more neutral. According to Lisa, the kitchen and family room were extremely worn and outdated.

“We had very 1980s-like décor, including mint green walls with pastel pink floral draperies, matching mini blinds and light oak cabinets,” she said. “I realized over time that I was avoiding having friends and family visit our house because the kitchen and family room had become embarrassing eyesores.”

And because the couple has always loved their neighborhood and location, they decided that they would rather remodel than move out and buy a new house.

As they began their search for a remodeling company to work with, they considered other area contractors, “but we were not impressed with the time they spent with us while initially assessing our remodeling job.”

Fortunately, several years ago, the couple had originally hired Republic West Remodeling (RWR) to help with the replacement of their home’s original single-pane windows with dual-pane.

“At that time, I was very satisfied with the quality of the materials and workmanship, as well as the price,” she said. “So when we decided to do this major renovation, we gave RWR an opportunity to bid on the project. Their website had some very impressive “before” and “after” photographs, and I watched their online videos, as well.”

At the beginning of the remodel planning process, RWR sent Stephen Yeomans, Project Designer, to the couple’s home. He took photographs, extensive measurements and detailed notes. Next, he invited Lisa and Alan to their showroom to share the photo realistic rendering of the design that would be within their budget.

“It was immediately noticeable to us, from the start, which company truly valued our time and input, and that company was RWR,” Lisa said.

The couple’s original plan was to renovate the kitchen and adjoining family room, as well as to enclose the back covered patio. However, after meeting with Stephen Yeomans, they decided that enclosing the patio was more complicated and expensive than they were willing to undertake. “[Again], our main priorities were the kitchen and family room,” she said.

Because Lisa and Alan had been through two previous remodeling projects, they were mentally well-prepared to be inconvenienced for several months while living in their home during the process.

“RWR made the experience as pleasant as possible under the circumstances,” Lisa said. “And every single representative of the company treated us with respect and understanding throughout the project. All questions were answered truthfully and promptly and there were no unpleasant surprises.”

While the initial timeline extended about a week or two beyond the initial projection, “it was not a big issue with us,” Lisa said, noting that the total project, including labor and materials, was well within the range they had initially set with the designer.

Lisa said the key element to her positive experience with RWR was the daily interaction with their project manager, Ann Hendrickson. “She took a personal interest in our well-being, and she never missed an opportunity to keep us informed, as well as relaxed, each and every day.”

Lisa and Alan said they are thrilled with the final results of their remodel, and can hardly believe they are living in the same home.

“The living space is dramatically different, modern and classy,” said Lisa. “I now feel confident to invite friends over to our house again after avoiding it for so long. I would definitely use RWR again, and I would not hesitate to recommend this company to anyone considering a major renovation.”

To read more stories like Lisa and Allan’s, please visit the Our Stories page and hear the real-life experiences of Republic West Remodeling customers.

Scott Wallace has a passion for design and architecture. He founded Habitat Renovations as an offshoot of his two furniture store businesses, Thingz Contemporary Living and Boulevard Urban Living, with the goal of providing a broader range of design and construction services to his clientele. Scott and his wife Susie have been serving homeowners in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area for 15 years. Habitat Renovations merged with Republic West Remodeling in January of 2019.